Q. Is it safe to use an RF skin tightening device when you have a pacemaker/defibrillator? I was going to get one but see it is recommended to not use one around metal implants and devices.

—M.M., McKeesport, Pennsylvania

A. The user manuals warn to not use RF or microcurrent skin tightening products around metal implants and devices. Unfortunately I will be joining this club soon because last year I chewed into a hard corn kernel embedded in a corn chip, and it fractured a molar that had a root canal and a crown. The tooth required extraction and I will be getting an implant soon. This means the end of RF facial treatment for me, and I have really benefited from it over the years. I felt badly about this development but it led me to do some research, which guided me to a new treatment to help firm up my face and reduce wrinkles while providing other benefits as well. It is looking to turn out as an overall win!

LED face masks use different wavelengths of light to deeply penetrate the skin and stimulate collagen growth. The effects are clinically proven and I like that there is no manual effort, messy gel or cleanup involved. I tried the L&L LUMI LED Light Therapy Skincare Mask, which was the nicest one I saw online. The mask is made of medical-grade, non-irritating silicone and is comfortable and feels durable. You charge a controller and select one of four modes. While my primary motivation was the firming and wrinkle-reduction effects of the red LED light, there are other modes with blue and yellow light wavelengths that can reduce acne, reduce skin redness and brighten skin, and a mixed mode with multiple colors. Single-color treatments last 10 minutes, or you can choose an automatic mode that applies each color consecutively for a total of 15 minutes to experience all the benefits of the mask. The blue light acne-reduction mode means there are applications for young people, which is something new to me for this kind of product. I have read reports that it is extremely effective at this, and blue light can help treat precancerous skin conditions as well.

When you use an RF machine on the high setting with gel you can strongly feel the tightness and firmness. I suspect some of this is from the gel drying on your skin as well as the heat, but you really feel the effects of the heat and it may be uncomfortable for some people. The LED mask effect avoids this discomfort, so if you are sensitive to heat it may be a better choice. Given I had a collagen base from years of RF treatment I can't say how much firmness I gained, but I have not lost any either, and the mask's comfort, convenience, lack of gel and ease of use means I never miss a session. I think most users will benefit from using the red LED mode for a few weeks for the wrinkle reduction and facial firming, then switch to the overall mode to get all the benefits from the mask. You wait a few days between applications so you could also alternate between red sessions and an overall sessions. I plan on doing this for a few more months before I switch to the overall mode exclusively.

The L&L LUMI LED Light Therapy Skincare Mask lists for $319, and a current site-wide 35% off code LLSKIN35 at llskinshop.com means you can get one for only $207.35. It's beautifully packaged, feels quality and includes a cloth carrying case. Color me impressed!

———

©2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC